Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews celebrates a play in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers during the game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012.

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When the Green Bay Packers selected Clay Matthews with the 26th pick of the 2009 NFL draft, there was risk involved with selecting a former walk-on who'd started only one collegiate season.

Over the past four years, however, Matthews quickly lived up to his family's Pro Bowl pedigree en route to becoming the first player in Packers history to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four NFL seasons.

On Wednesday, nearly one week away from this year's draft, the Packers made Matthews the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL with a five-year contract extension built upon the remaining year ...